


More Lost Than You Realize

by BlindStargazer



Category: Big Hero 6 (2014), Over the Garden Wall (Cartoon)
Genre: Crossover
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-28
Updated: 2015-09-22
Packaged: 2018-03-15 16:44:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3454361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlindStargazer/pseuds/BlindStargazer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After entering the portal to save Callaghan's daughter, Hiro wakes up to find himself in the Unknown, wandering through the woods looking for a way home with only Baymax and a Silent Sparrow to keep him company.</p><p>Naturally, there is more to the situation than meets the eye.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Into the Unknown

Hiro awoke to the sound of leaves rustling in the trees above him. Trees? He opened his eyes and found he was, indeed, face down in the dirt, in what appeared to be a forest, for some reason he couldn't fathom. It had been midday last he'd know, but now it was evening.

"What?" he muttered, pushing himself up, and rubbing his face where the pebbles and twigs had apparently been resting against it for quite some time. "Where...Baymax?" He called into the forest, looking around frantically, but to no avail.

He was starting to remember what had happened. There had been the fight with Callaghan, and the portal sucking up Kreitech, and...he didn't remember anything after that. That was it. He couldn't shake the feeling something had gone terribly wrong, but he couldn't seem to remember what it was either.

He stood up and did the only thing he could think of to do.

"Baymax?" He called, taking a few steps along the path he'd found himself passed out on. "Baymax, where are you?"

He looked around, unnerved by the silence until he heard the familiar squeak of inflated vinyl. His knees went weak from relief, and he looked to see Baymax, armorless, but walking toward him, looking at his hands.

More specifically, he was looking at something in his hands.

"Is that a bird?" Hiro asked, puzzled.

"Unclear." Baymax responded, still looking at the bird.

"...that was rhetorical, buddy," he said.

"My sensors indicate that this is a human," Baymax said, looking up from the sparrow.

Ugh, sparrows. Hiro had had enough of Callaghan's sparrows. Chances were, it was his portal, with it's sparrow symbol, that had dumped him here in the first place.

"Looks like your sensors have gotten a bit messed up," he laughed nervously. "Let's get you home where I can get those fixed up."

The bird suddenly flew up from Baymax's hands and landed on Hiro's helmet where he had left it lying in the dirt, and started pecking at the vivid paint. Hiro picked the helmet up, noticing in the back of his mind that something he couldn't quite place was odd about the rhythm the sparrow was tapping out, and the bird looked at him, before going back to pecking.

Hiro picked up the bird and glared at it. It was small enough that it fit in one of his hands, though it didn't like that much.

He tucked his helmet under his arm and pointed at the squirming sparrow. "Watch it, bird."

"My programming prevents me from allowing you to harm her." Baymax said, swiping the bird from Hiro's hand.

Hiro looked at his suddenly empty fingers in surprise, then sighed dramatically. "Baymax, it's a bird. And I wasn't going to-"

"My sensors indicate she is human," Baymax repeated, gently patting the bird's head.

"Look, just put it on a bush or something, and let's get going." Hiro said, gesturing with his helmet and rubbing his brow in frustration

"I cannot leave a patient in need."

"Unbelievable," he said with a bit more feeling. If Baymax's sensors were indicating that that bird was a human in distress, they'd have to just take it with them. "Fine, let's just go." Hiro started walking down the path.

"Where are we going?" Baymax asked. "This forest is unfamiliar."

"Well, if there's a path, it's because someone uses it," Hiro said, thinking of the worn spots in the grass where people always walked even though they shouldn't. "That means they're going somewhere, so either direction there's probably someone, or at least something we can use to help us get home."

Speaking of which...

Hiro pulled out his phone and disappointingly found it too dead to turn on. He put on his helmet, and checked the transmitter, but all he heard was static. Not exactly unexpected, the range covered San Fransokyo itself, but not a whole lot outside of that.

"Looks like we're on our own for now though," Hiro said.

"Incorrect," Baymax said. "My sensors indicate-"

"Right, yeah, the bird's a person," Hiro rolled his eyes. "C'mon."

The forest was quickly beginning to thin, and they could see a house in a pasture by a stream up ahead.

"Think somebody's there that might help us?" Hiro asked. He looked back to see Baymax was a little distracted by the sparrow nestling into his hand. Cute, but not exactly helpful. He kept going.

He knocked on the door of the house when he got to it, and was surprised to find it swung open at his touch.

"...that's not eerie at all," Hiro said, the hair on the back of his neck standing on end. He brushed drooping strands of yarn out of the way and stepped over the threshold. "Hello?"


	2. When a Bluebird Enters Through the Door

The house seemed oddly empty except for the scattered yarn. It was one room, mostly occupied by a fluffy bed, and copious amounts of string. Even with the door open, it smelled stale, as if it hadn't been aired out since it was built.

"Creepy old houses in the middle of nowhere? Yeah, no, I don't think so," Hiro said, stepping back out of the house. "I've seen enough movies to know that's a bad idea."

"It is nearly nightfall," Baymax said, watching as Hiro nudged past him. "I am uncertain of the climate in this location, but after dark, it may become cold or dangerous outdoors."

Hiro stopped, suddenly aware of the chill in the air. He wasn't sure how he hadn't noticed it before, but he suddenly wished he'd made his pants full-length. His shins were freezing. There was no way he wouldn't regret trying to sleep outside, even with Baymax keeping him warm. He'd "catch his death", as the old people said it.

Besides, movies weren't much of a basis for decision making.

Hiro sighed and took his helmet off, ruffling his hair defeatedly. "Fine, you're right. We'll stay here for the night, and head out in the morning."

"A good night's rest would be optimal," Baymax said patting the bird. It looked a little anxious, but considering the size difference between it and Baymax, Hiro figured it had a right to that.

"Can you let the bird go now?" Hiro asked, hoping his sensors had readjusted themselves.

"She is in need of my assistance," Baymax reiterated.

Hiro sighed again and muttered under his breath about Baymax's faulty sensors as he stepped back in the door. "Hope whoever lives here doesn't mind us staying the night."

Baymax squeezed through the door, and bumped the nearest dresser, knocking a ball of yarn loose from a basket on top of it, where it rolled across a mess of cut string in front of the door. They watched it roll over to a weird, stained patch in the carpet, with a tattered, ribboned hat sitting in the middle of it. Hiro picked the unraveled yarn up and sloppily rewound it, wondering what whoever lived here could possibly have been doing with all this yarn. He put it back and nudged Baymax away from the dresser.

"They're not gonna like us much if we make a mess in here," Hiro said. "Let's stay away from the breakables, okay?"

"This room is small," Baymax said, plopping down on the floor. "I am not designed for spaces such as these."

"Yeah, no kidding," Hiro rolled his eyes, nudging the door closed. Rubbing his arms, he sat in front of Baymax. "It's kinda cold in here now. Can you, you know, heat up?"

Baymax wrapped his arms around Hiro, and heat began radiating off of him. Hiro curled up against him, and before he knew it, he was out like a light.

It was morning when he woke to the sound of the door opening. He wasn't all that concerned until he opened his eyes and remembered he was definitely not at home.

He stammered out a series of unintelligible, sleepy apologies, attempting to struggle to his feet to face the person in the doorway.

"Relax, nobody lives here anymore," said the girl in the doorway. She had bright red hair, and a sky blue dress that looked like it belonged in a history reenactment, and definitely didn't look old enough to own the house.

"...Who are you?" Hiro said, shifting awkwardly.

"Not the one staying in someone else's house," she said, crossing her arms gruffly. "Who are you?"

"I thought you said no one lived here," Hiro said, squinting suspiciously.

"Nevermind, that's not the - ugh, /fine/," she huffed. "Beatrice."

"Hiro," he responded. "And this is Baymax." Hiro pulled Baymax up by his elbow. The girl's eyes widened as she realized Baymax was not entirely inanimate.

Baymax waved. "Hello."

"He's a marshmallow," Beatrice said, sounding mildly concerned.

"The resemblance is a side effect of my non-threatening, huggable design," Baymax added helpfully.

"That's a...weird suit he's got there," Beatrice said, cocking an eyebrow and putting her hand on her hip.

"It's not a suit, he's just a marshmallow...I mean machine," Hiro tried to cover his mistake, reddening.

"Riiiiiiight, so you have a reason you're holed up in an abandoned house with a giant marshmallow man?" Beatrice said, sizing them up.

Hiro glanced at Baymax. "I'm just...trying to get home."

Beatrice's bravado flickered. "I...I might be able to help."

"Do you know where I can find a phone?" Hiro asked hopefully.

"...Um, nooooo, but I can take you in the right direction to get out of the woods," Beatrice said, pointing over her shoulder. "and that's better than nothing. I know a safe way."

"Uh. Okay," Hiro said, glancing at Baymax for reassurance. He noticed the sparrow was sitting on Baymax's shoulder, and he hoped it wasn't poking holes in the vinyl. "You're not going to lead us somewhere dangerous, are you?" He handed his helmet to Baymax and ushered the bird into it.

"What, no!" Beatrice said, offended. "Why would I do that?"

"I dunno, people just do," Hiro said with a noncommittal shrug, though he did find himself trusting her. "You tell me."

"Do you want my help or not?" she huffed.

"I do, I want your help!" Hiro said quickly.

"Then let's go," she turned on her heel and walked out.

"Alright, alright," Hiro pulled Baymax through the door, trying to ignore the sound of yarn plopping to the floor. He looked around at the pasture, and the forest and asked "Where are we anyway? I'm not exactly from around here."

"Well, I can tell you, but you're not going to like the answer," Beatrice said, looking over her shoulder at him.

"Why wouldn't I like an answer to a question I just asked?" Hiro said exasperatedly.

"Because we call it the Unknown," she said ominously.

"You're kidding," Hiro stopped walking.

"Nope, but I wish," Beatrice shrugged. "C'mon. If we hurry, we can still catch the ferry." She stopped and turned the rest of the way around, and sheepishly asked. "You wouldn't happen to have two pennies, would you?"


	3. Ferry Ride

"This is an...interesting way to travel," Hiro said, casting another in a long series of uncertain glances at the other passengers on the ship.

"Eh, it's not so bad," Beatrice said, leaning against the railing as she watched the band play. "Music's been better though."

"So are the...frogs, a normal thing?" Hiro asked. "Those are quite the costumes, aren't they?"

"Unclear," Baymax said before Beatrice could answer.

"Riiiight, maybe you should turn your scanner off until we can get it fixed, buddy" Hiro said uncertainly. Baymax didn't respond, as the bird was pecking at the helmet again. Something about it nagged at Hiro, but he did his best to ignore the tapping.

"It's a spring thing," Beatrice said. "The last warm week of Autumn, and the first warm week of Spring, this is a frog boat."

"Okaaaaay," Hiro said, trying not to get caught staring. He'd never felt so out of place in his entire life, and that was coming from a kid who started High School at 9.

"It's not like they're going to send the frog police after us, we paid just like everybody else," Beatrice said with a shrug. "Don't worry so much about it."

"Frog police?" Hiro snorted.

"Hey now, they take their job very seriously," Beatrice said, finally looking away from the band.

"Are you speaking from experience?" Hiro teased.

Beatrice laughed. "Oh, definitely. Just about got tossed off the boat one time. I'm practically a frog felon."

Hiro laughed. "Frog felon?"

"Oh yeah, back when I was a bluebird," Beatrice answered. Hiro faltered for a moment, because even though what she'd said clearly had to be a joke, she'd said it so casually, he'd almost thought she actually meant she'd been a bluebird once.

But that was ridiculous.

People couldn't be birds.

Hiro glanced at the sparrow anyway. He'd never seen a bird look quite so disgruntled, but at least it wasn't pecking his helmet anymore.

"Oh, if you look that way, you can just see the top of Endicott Manor," Beatrice said, leaning down to Hiro's level, and pointing over the forest on his side of the ferry. Baymax, and even the bird turned to look too.

"What, in that town over there?" Hiro said, peeking around Baymax.

"That's not a town," Beatrice said with a smug grin.

"What kind of a person lives in a house that big?" Hiro asked. He bit his tongue when he remembered Fred.

"We can stay the night there," Beatrice said. "I know the owner. Well, I know his horse."

"His...horse," Hiro said.

"Yeah," Beatrice said.

Hiro decided he didn't want to know.

They were nearly to the dock, so the band finished their song and started packing up. In the silence, the bird's pecking resumed. Hiro sighed, resigned to listen to the bird chip the paint on his helmet until they got home, when suddenly he realized what was so odd about the pattern. It was too repetitive, too rhythmic to be random. Once the thought came to him that it sounded like morse code, he immediately recognized the pattern.

The bird was tapping out S.O.S.


	4. Carnival of the Animals

Hiro was holding the helmet with the bird in it as they walked down the cobblestone path to the mansion.

"It's a bird, how does it know morse code?" Hiro said for about the 8th time.

"She's human," Beatrice and Baymax said in unison. Beatrice continued "I told you, it happens."

"No, it doesn't happen!" Hiro said, turning around to walk backwards and gesturing with his free hand. "It's scientifically impossible."

"No it's not," Beatrice said, throwing her hands up. "It might be where you're from, but not here."

"Oh, and where is 'here' that it's outside the laws of science?" Hiro said sarcastically.

"The Unknown," Beatrice answered seriously, crossing her arms.

Hiro rolled his eyes and turned around, only to nearly trip into a fountain. Baymax caught him before he could actually fall.

It took a few seconds for Hiro to translate the bird tapping out something along the lines of "Careful". He pulled a face at it.

"Is she saying something again?" Beatrice asked.

Hiro shrugged noncommittally. Beatrice shook her head.

A breeze blew through, and Hiro shivered. As night fell, it was getting colder - so much colder here than it ever got in San Fransokyo. He was starting to wish he'd at least given himself full length pants.

"What was that?" Beatrice asked.

"It's just cold," Hiro replied, rubbing his arms to try to keep warm.

"Really?" Beatrice asked. "It doesn't feel all that cold."

"Who goes there?" a man's voice called from inside the gate. Hiro jumped, and everyone turned to face the voice. It was just dim enough, they couldn't see the speaker.

"Hey Fred, it's me," Beatrice said. "Think Endicott's got a place for me and my friends to spend the night?"

Hiro was extremely amused to find there was a guy named Fred living in this mansion too.

"Are his nephews back?" Fred moved closer, and Hiro was surprised to hear hoofbeats. He must be further out in the country than he though, to have someone greeting them at the gate on horseback.

"No, sorry," Beatrice said. "I thought it might be, but no, it's not them. It's a kid and a...marshmallow. They've got a bird with them too."

"A normal bird, or..." Fred finally got close enough to see, and Hiro blinked, rubbing his eyes in case he wasn't seeing this right. "More like you used to be?"

"Y-you're a horse," Hiro said.

"Hey, don't be so rude about it," said Fred the horse.

Hiro passed out, tipping over right into the fountain.

There was a mad scramble as Beatrice and Baymax tried to pull him out, surprised at how deep it was. He came up, sputtering, and coughing, and clung to the fountain wall when they got him back onto it. The sparrow fluttered anxiously above them, having just barely escaped falling in.

"Hey, whoa, breathe," Beatrice said, hovering over Hiro nervously. He gasped for air, coughing miserably.

Hiro looked up at Baymax, and was surprised to see he was standing very still, staring at him.

"W-what's up?" Hiro said, pushing himself up shakily. "Something wrong?"

"The data from my sensors is incompatible," Baymax said. "My scanner indicates you are in danger, yet you appear to be safe now."

"...what kind of danger?" Hiro asked, gripping the edge of the fountain nervously.

"My sensor indicated you were unconscious from oxygen deprivation, and in danger of suffocation and severe hypothermia," Baymax said, tilting his head. "But your reactions indicate the situation is far less severe. I am uncertain how to respond."

"Let's just get him inside," Beatrice said, unnerved. She glanced at the forest. "It's not safe out here at night."

"Right, yeah, get the kid inside," said Fred the horse, backing up nervously, his tail twitching behind him.

Baymax immediately picked Hiro up, and Hiro scrambled to grab his helmet out of the water before it was out of reach, glad the padding made it light enough to float.

"You are not protesting?" Baymax asked. "This is uncharacteristic."

"No, Baymax, I'm not," Hiro said quietly, gripping his helmet nervously. "What is wrong with this place?"

"Unclear," Baymax answered.

Hiro sighed and slumped into Baymax's arms, coughing. "This place is weird, and I don't like it."

They followed Beatrice and her horse friend inside.

"Hey, ah, Mr. Endicott?" said Fred the Horse. "Or Mrs. I guess."

"Yes, what is it Fred?" a lady with a heavy accent said, walking into the entryway in what looked to be a very expensive dress. French, maybe? Renaissance era? Hiro had never really cared about history as much as he had science and mathematics, so he couldn't place her exactly. She nearly dropped her tea when she saw the assembly in the doorway. "Oh my!"

"So, ah, my friend, and some of her friends are passing through, and I was wondering if, I dunno, maybe they could stay the night?" Fred said, shuffling his hoof awkwardly.

"It's just one night, I promise, we'll be gone in the morning," said Beatrice.

"That voice..." the lady said, coming closer, "The last I heard that voice, it came from a bluebird."

"Yeah, that was me," Beatrice said, awkwardly rubbing the back of her neck. She appeared to be blushing.

"Oh my," Lady Endicott beamed. "How exciting!" she set her tea aside and clasped her hands together happily. "Please, do come in!"

"Wait, you mean to say you were ACTUALLY a bird?" Hiro said squirming out of Baymax's arms. Baymax shuffled after him, watching the puddle where he stepped.

"Yes, keep up," Beatrice said, as if it should have been obvious. "I told you, it happens."

"No, but...an actual bird," Hiro said. "Wings and feathers and all?"

"Well yeah," Beatrice said. "What other kinds of birds are there?"

"No, I mean...how does that happen?" Hiro was shaking slightly. He chalked it up to cold.

"I threw a rock at a bluebird, and it cursed my family," Beatrice muttered. "But it's fine, I fixed it."

Hiro nodded and leaned back against Baymax. "You said I was unconscious?"

"Yes," Baymax said. "But I can no longer focus my scanner on you. It is faulty."

"Maybe you're right," Hiro muttered. He rubbed his forehead with the hand not occupied by his helmet. "Did I hit my head? Is that what this is? I don't remember..."

"You are soaking wet," said lady Endicott, her full attention immediately on the tiny, wet boy. "Fred, where did you find them?"

"He, ah, fell in the fountain," Fred said. "Can they stay?"

"Yes, of course!" said the lady, fussing over Hiro. He pulled face but didn't protest as she bustled him into the next room. "How could we turn them away in such a state?"

"Marguerite, what's all this racket?" called a man's voice from down another hall.

"We have guests, Quincy!" Lady Endicott called back. "Bring something warm, this poor boy's soaking wet." she quieted down. "Why did you say nothing, child? You'll catch your death if you carry on like this."

"I'll be fine," Hiro said, still somewhat dazed as he waved her hands away. If this was a dream, how would he get sick? He just had to focus on figuring out what happened in the gate...but all that came to mind were swirling colors, and thinking about it hurt his head. He hoped he figured it out soon, because that would be the first step toward waking up.

"You are so cold, child," said the lady with both hands on his face, before relenting and stepping away. "At least let me fetch you something warm to drink. Perhaps you are hungry?"

"Not really," Hiro shrugged. "I'm fine."

"Tea then?" said an unfamiliar man in the doorway. "We have such an unnecessary surplus of the stuff."

"Uh..." Hiro was about to refuse, but he found himself shivering again. "You know what, sh-sure. That sounds good."

Before Hiro knew it, he was bundled in a massive blanket, sitting on Baymax like a massive heated seat, with a warm cup of tea(well, more sugar than tea if he was really honest) in his hands, which were slowly starting to shake less.

"So, they get married since I was last here?" Beatrice said, watching the two across the room, discussing where to put their guests.

"Oh, no they were married last time you were here, you just didn't see them," Fred huffed from the floor, flicking his tail. "Be grateful."

Beatrice laughed. "That bad, huh?"

"Worse," Fred said dramatically.

They chuckled, and when the sound subsided, a tapping could be heard again. Hiro perked up, and turned his attention to the sparrow in his helmet.

"What's it saying?" Beatrice asked, immediately interested.

"It wants to know if we'll, erm...Help it, I think," Hiro translated. "Is that what you meant?"

The bird hopped up on the edge of the helmet and bobbed twice before going back to pecking.

"It says it's human...and it needs its wings clipped?" Hiro translated again, scratching his head uncertainly.

"Yes, ok, I have the scissors!" Beatrice said, kneeling up to get closer. "They're at my house! It's on the way, no more than a couple days."

The bird fluttered excitedly and tapped out two short words before settling down.

"What did she say?" Beatrice asked eagerly.

"She said 'Thank you'," Hiro translated. He went back to his tea, the feeling of cold only nagging at the back of his mind.


	5. The Dark

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a long time coming, and it's probably still going to need some editing, but it's here, and that's what counts. Here, enjoy. Let me know how it goes.

It was afternoon by the time they left. First, because Hiro overslept, and Baymax was concerned because his sensors once again indicated that Hiro was dying and he had to be convinced otherwise, then the Endicotts had to make sure they were all dressed up warm for coming chilly weather. Beatrice said she was fine, but Hiro had considered their offer of warm clothes, until he realized that if he took them, he'd have to either never get his armor back or carry it. He settled for taking one of Mr. Endicott's overcoats to wear over his armor. It was a bit big on him, but it was warm, and it made him look a bit less out of place.

Eventually, they were finally on their way again.

"Geeze, I hope we can still make it to the Dark Lantern before it gets too late," Beatrice huffed. "And before those clouds decide to start raining."

"Dark Lantern?" Hiro said, a little bit apprehensive. "That sounds like the kind of place I had bot fights in."

"Not gonna ask what that is," Beatrice said.

"Underground bot fighting? You've never even heard of it?" Hiro said. Beatrice pulled a face. "I'll take that as a no. What I'm saying is, that doesn't sound like the name of a very respectable buisness."

"Ugh, you're telling me," Beatrice agreed. "What kind of Tavern throws a bluebird out in the rain?"

"Whoa whoa whoa, tavern?" Hiro stopped. "It may have escaped your notice, but I don't think either one of us is old enough to drink."

Beatrice stopped, looking over her shoulder at Hiro. She glanced down the path, then back at Hiro. "I don't know what you're thinking of, but it's like...an inn, or a restaurant, I guess."

Hiro looked at her incredulously.

"Look, it's that or stay out here in the woods over night," Beatrice said. "And I, for one, am not sleeping in the woods," She started walking again.

"The woods are unfamiliar, and I cannot guarantee your safety," Baymax added. The bird fluttered, her wing tips brushing the inside of Hiro's helmet.

Hiro shivered and wrapped the coat tighter around him rather than reply, but he started walking again.

"So, uh, you come this way often?" Hiro asked, uncomfortable with the silence. Weren't woods supposed to make noise? "It seems like you know it really well."

"Well, not exactly," she said, looking around as if she expected to see something dangerous in the bushes. "But I have been this way before."

"Why's that?" Hiro asked, trotting to keep up. "It seems like this is a long way from home for you."

"I was, ah..." she looked at her feet. "I was looking for a friend of mine."

"So...you went all the way to that house we were staying the night in, because...?" he started, finding himself grinning.

"I heard there was a lost kid in the woods near there, and thought you might be him," she said quickly. "We'd been to that house before, so I figured at least he knew where it was." She caught him grinning and turned bright red. "It's not like that!"

"Not like what?" Hiro asked innocently.

"You know what," she sniped. "Anyway, it's just...I want to know if he and his brother got home safe. The little brother wasn't doing so good when they left, and I just wanted to know if they made it home okay."

Hiro would have questioned further, but the mention of brothers tugged at a still fresh wound.

She saw his expression, and tentatively asked "Is it that you want to get home quick, or do you...did you have a brother too."

Hiro stopped, fighting to keep his emotions in check. He gripped the sleeve of the coat tight.

"I'm sorry, you don't have to answer that," she said quickly. "I...I've got a family back home too. I know I'd do anything for them. I...yeah," she looked down, and swallowed hard. "Anything."

"So would my brother," Hiro said softly. He started walking again, silently staring forward and hoping his eyes weren't watering as much as they felt like they were.

"I'm sorry," Beatrice said, now following Hiro.

Behind Hiro's back, Baymax told Beatrice "Those who suffer a loss require support from friends and loved ones. I believe we now consider you a: friend."

Beatrice blinked up at the marshmallowy robot, then smiled brightly. "Well, I'm glad."

"Just come on," Hiro huffed. "You said we're already cutting it close. How much longer?"

"A few hours, maybe?" Beatrice said, glancing uncertainly at the clouds gathering ahead. "But even if we beat the sun, it looks like it's going to be raining there. Again."

"Then we'd better walk faster," Hiro said, fluffing his coat up around him and picking up the pace.

Sure enough, the storm clouds had gathered in less than an hour, and Hiro had put his helmet back on to keep his head dry. The sparrow was fluttering around their heads uncertainly, until Hiro had offered to let her sit in one of the coat pockets. She seemed happier there, even though she still didn't make a sound.

"Why is it always raining here?" Beatrice called over the sound of rain pummelling Baymax's vinyl body.

"Rainy weather is most commonly caused by: high humidity, and low atmospheric pressure," Baymax answered helpfully.

"Fine, whatever," Beatrice shouted.

Lightning flashed, illuminating the trees like ominous figures, and the group moved closer together.

"It's not the Beast," Beatrice muttered. "That's stupid, the Beast is gone..."

"What?" Hiro asked, close enough he could hear her. "What Beast?"

"I...." Beatrice stammered, embarrassed to have been caught. "It was just this stupid...thing, that used to live in these woods. A friend of mine helped stop it, it's gone now."

"Is this the same friend you were looking for when you found me instead?" Hiro asked. "Is that why you were worried about his brother?"

"Yeah," Beatrice nodded quietly. She looked like she was about to say something, when there was a scream out in the woods. It was useless to look out into the darkness, but that didn't stop them. In the silence that fell, they could hear a rhythmic thumping that raised the hair on the back of Beatrice's neck. She knew that sound.

"Baymax, let's go!" Hiro said, handing the sparrow to Beatrice and dashing into the bushes. Baymax glanced back at beatrice, but was swiftly pulled along behind Hiro.

"Wait!" Beatrice called, but it was too late. She couldn't even see them anymore.

The forest was dark, to say the least, but Hiro had lights in his helmet for a reason.

He let go of Baymax for 2 seconds. In those two seconds, he found himself tumbling down a hill, alone, in the rainy darkness. He lay there, winded and struggling to catch his breath, for who knows how long, and when he looked back up the hill, there was no one there.

"Baymax?" He called, nervously looking around for the machine.

"Are you lost, boy?" a seemingly disembodied whisper said. Everything seemed to fall still at the sound of it, as if even the rain was afraid of this weak voice. A chill that wasn't from the rain ran down Hiro's spine.

A shadow moved, and by the time he looked where it had been, it wasn't there anymore.

"Who are you?" Hiro asked, trying to sound brave. "Where's Baymax?"

"You're in my forest," the whisper rumbled, and the forest seemed to shake with it. "It is I who should be asking the questions, not you."

"I...I didn't know this was someone's forest," Hiro said, pulling the coat around him tighter and trying to pinpoint the voice. "We heard screaming, we just wanted to help."

"And now I'm afraid you're more lost than you realize," the voice said, and Hiro whipped around trying to see where it was coming from. He caught a glimpse of what could have been two massive, white eyes, but they were gone before he could tell if it was a trick of the light or something more. "Tell me, boy, what is your name?"  
Hiro hesitated until the voice repeated the question. "Your name, child. What may I call you?"

"Hiro," he answered.

"Hiro?" the voice asked, sounding amused. "Quite the name. Well, Hiro, may I give you some advice? The Unknown is no place for children. Monsters make these woods their home. Stay out of these woods, and away from it's people, and maybe," the voice seemed to be getting closer, but Hiro still couldn't for the life of him find the source. "just maybe, you'll find your way home."

"Is that a threat?" Hiro asked into the darkness. The thing only laughed, and faded away. Hiro noticed the rain had stopped, and the silence that fell was absolute.

He turned and started pulling himself up the muddy slope.

"Baymax!" Hiro called at the top of the hill, panting. "Baymax, where are you?"

He was greeted by the sound of fluttering wings. He held out his hands, and the sparrow landed in it.

"Do you know where he is?" Hiro asked hopefully. The bird shook it's head. "Oh. Well, which way did you come from?"

The sparrow fluttered into the air and he followed it to a crossroads, where Beatrice was standing, shivering in the cold as she looked into the darkness, the lights of an inn behind her. She jumped when she saw the light from Hiro's helmet, but relaxed when he held out his hand and the sparrow landed in it.

"You're okay," she scooped him up in a hug when he was close enough. She saw his feet were dangling in the air and set him down. "Where's Baymax?"

"I don't know," he said, shaking his head. "I fell down a hill, and lost him." He choked up as he said it, and Beatrice hugged him, not knowing what else to do. Hiro would have resisted, but he was exhausted.

"Ok, here's the deal," Beatrice said gently. "You're soaking wet, and covered in mud. You're no help to him if you...get sick out there looking for him. We'll stay here for the night, and look for him in the morning."

The sparrow was tapping on his helmet again.

"You'll look?" Hiro asked, having trouble looking up onto his helmet to see the bird. She made it a little easier by fluttering down to his hand and bobbing in a full-body nod. "Like, now?" she bobbed again and got ready to fly.

"Wait," Beatrice held out a hand, and the bird landed on it, tilting her head quizzically. "Be careful, ok? It's hard flying in these woods in the dark. Be careful not to fly into a tree or something." The bird bobbed again and flew away.

"C'mon," Beatrice said softly, ushering Hiro toward the inn. "Let's get you some place warm."


	6. The Dark of the Night

Hiro pulled his coat tighter around himself, staring out into the darkness. The tavern was warm, but he was wet, and cold, and shivering miserably as he watched for any sign of the sparrow or Baymax through the downpour.

The innkeeper put her hand on her hip and looked down at them. "Why so blue you two? Waiting for someone?"

"None of your buisness, lady," Beatrice huffed. Hiro burrowed into his coat, hoping the woman wouldn't notice him.

The innkeeper swatted Beatrice with the broom. "You're just as bad as that bluebird the Pilgrim brought."

"Have you seen him around?" Beatrice asked, rubbing her head indignantly.

The innkeeper shook her head. "Pilgrims aren't that type. You should know that, if he passed by you too."

"Yeah yeah, I was just asking..." Beatrice grumbled.

"And who might you be?" the innkeeper asked. Hiro didn't respond until prodded with the broom. "Hey you. Who are you?"

"Ow, why would you..." Hiro pushed the broom away. "I'm Hiro."

The tavern went silent, and the innkeeper dropped her broom.

"Well I'll be," said the toymaker in the corner with a smile. "We've got a genuine, bonafide Hero in our midst."

"What, no, I..." he started, flushing bright red. This was not something that happened often with his name, but it wasn't the first time either.

"Tell us your stories, Hero!" called a large man in a flour coated apron, suddenly very close and very eager to hear how he'd earned the title he'd just accidentally claimed.

"What are your daring deeds?" asked a small man, from the region of his elbow.

"What brings you here, Hero?" asked another large, friendly looking man, lifting Hiro up onto his shoulder.

"I..." the crowd stilled at his voice, eagerly awaiting his reply. He gulped. "I'm just trying to get home. I came here looking for a girl, and found a bird that knows Morse code, and a girl who used to be a bird, and a talking horse, and..." he rubbed his face, and slid off of the man's shoulder. "This is so messed up."

The idea that this was all a bad dream was getting more and more appealing by the minute.

A small hand tapped his elbow. He looked down to see a small boy, with a rope around his middle looking up at him.

"Are you going to save us from the Beast like the Pilgrim did?" the boy asked. The man behind him tugged the rope and hushed him.

Beatrice stood suddenly, knocking her chair down. "What do you mean? The beast is gone."

The crowd shifted, exchanging nervous glances.

"He's found a new lanternbearer," said the innkeeper.

"No," Beatrice said fervently. "No, he can't..."

"The Highwayman saw him," the boy with the rope around his middle piped up. The man behind him tugged him back again and covered his mouth, but he pulled the hand down. "Will you save us, Hero?"

Hiro turned in his chair to look into the uneasy crowd. Their fear was palpable, and the tavern seemed to have become visibly darker.

"What exactly is this...Beast?" Hiro asked, uneasy. "And how did this other guy-"

"The Pilgrim," the man who'd picked him up provided.

"Yeah, him," Hiro said. "How is he supposed to have beaten it before?"

"He convinced the woodsman to blow out the lantern," Beatrice said, staring into the candle on the table. It was as if all other lights in the tavern simultaneously blew out at her words, leaving only the candle. She looked up from the last light in the room as all eyes turned to her, the only person fully illuminated by it. "The Beast should be dead, he had no oil, and his flame was out. Who would be stupid enough to light it again?"

Something flew in the window, startling all the patrons. It lighted in the circle of light, and was revealed to be a sparrow.

The room relaxed, save for Hiro. A green glint in the bird's talons had caught his eye and stopped him cold.

The bird stepped off, and Hiro's blood ran cold.

A green chip, with the name "Tadashi" written on it in black.

Baymax's healthcare chip.

Without Baymax.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I bet you thought this fic was dead. Surprise. Also, sorry, I fell down on the motivation thing.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey folks who are reading this because Hedgi made hype. This has been posted because of you, and it's slightly terrifying, since I have never posted my writing before. Here's hoping I can do this right, and it's worth the hype. Always feel free to tell me what you think of it, comments are great, and so are you.
> 
> Also, just so everyone who was concerned knows, I'm sick, but I have not died, and my updating may be irregular due to illness, but it will continue to happen.


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